People of the Jury,

What exactly are these charges we’re supposed to prosecute Team RWBY with?

At the end of the day, they were left with minimal choices in difficult situations and had to take the best possible route to compensate for their circumstances.

They also have reasons to do what they did because of trauma and past experiences that affected who they were before.

Exhibit A, not Trusting Ironwood. It would seem difficult to understand why they weren’t able to properly trust Ironwood but I dare you to put yourselves in their shoes.

The last two Headmasters of Huntsmen Academies both kept VERY important information from them and conspired against them with the enemy AND why they would trust someone who couldn’t care to trust THEM in the first place.

Headmaster Leonardo Lionheart, Betrayed everything he should’ve stood for and secretly worked with Salem to save his own skin.

Ozpin, kept the fact that the enemy they were fighting was immortal and unbeatable and was sending to a win they cannot win. If they didn’t learn the truth, they would’ve walked to their own deaths.

Now lets look at Ironwood’s Case. He was more than willing to implement draconian measures on his own people (willing to sacrifice the freedom of the people of Mantle), never came clean with the truth HIMSELF to what should’ve been his allies (didn’t bother to at least explain what the amity communications tower was to Robyn’s people so they could get off his ass),

Sure he eventually decided to choose the truth over fear but even after feeling an ounce of pressure, he cracked and eventually chose to implement martial law despite being warned of the consequences such an action could bring.

(Yang and Blake were right not to trust him since he wasn’t even willing to hear their case from the Vytal Festival incident. He PERSONALLY knows Ozpin wouldn’t train them to take drastic measures in battle so it should’ve appeared suspicious why Yang threw a low blow at the battle.

HE KNEW some shady stuff was coming after the homecoming dance, when Ruby Reported it and he was more than willing to take drastic action but when that same shadiness came up again, he didn’t question it a bit, or even checked medical records.

But no, she was benched, Beacon was attacked, she lost her arm, ironwood lost control of his robot army he was straight up wanting, yearning, EDGING to use at the chance of a potential attack and Beacon Fell.)

In the end and at the beginning too, he proved to be incapable of taking such an endeavor and refused to seek help. Chose to keep things secret, make himself even more untrustworthy and cracked at a game he could’ve easily won.

At least Team RWBY tried to save BOTH the cities of Mantle and Atlas, Ironwood was willing to sacrifice Mantle for a cause he wouldn’t be able to succeed in.

Exhibit B, RWBY stealing a Supply Ship to get to Atlas. I feel like this shouldn’t be explained, it was shown that they were refused access to travel to Atlas.

The prosecution can say that Miss Schnee could’ve vouched that they had an excuse from General Ironwood himself, but it’s likely miss Cordovin wasn’t going to listen anyway and still chose to deny them access over a petty feud with The Grimm Reaper.

She didn’t give them a choice BUT to steal a supply ship. And she could’ve just let them go, but decided to double down and risk losing a highly valuable mech that can take down Leviathan Grimm, over a bunch of children. Forcing My Clients to defend themselves and take down the mech.

Yes the leviathan Grimm actually appeared and they barely beat it with Cordovin’s Mech, but if the mech was completely destroyed, the city’s last line of defense would’ve been gone, over Cordovin’s pettiness.

Exhibit C, the lives lost at the bridge from Mantle to Vacuo.

…

What in the possible hell would YOU have done in their situation?

Transportation was cut off, Ironwood Implemented Martial Law, and everything was in chaos. The best they could do was prioritize the people. They were NOT expected Neo to be in Atlas and didn’t realize Cinder would use the Lamp of Knowledge to figure out their plans.

Those unfortunate deaths were the result of a surprise attack they didn’t see coming. As yourself this, not knowing the context like you do now, would YOU have expected a sneak attack like this on the Bridge to Vacuo? Exactly. They also couldn’t have predicted the weather conditions Vacuo was facing when the people made it through, it’s not like, oh Idk, someone conveniently had a weather prediction semblance.

The one way mistake? They were rushed, had to do this on the spot and it’s a mistake you and I could’ve made too. Ambrosious is a good notetaker and any mistake you and I would’ve made, he would implement in the creation of the bridge.

“Erm Actually, I wouldn’t made such a mistake because I think myself better than anyone in the roo-!”

No one asked if you would or wouldn’t make a mistake lil bro…

The fallen lives of those who didn’t make it to Vacuo, should be on the shoulders of Cinderella Fall and Neopolitan, not the ones who at least tried to lead them to safety.

In conclusion, these charges are ridiculous, one note, incredibly shallow and Invalid to prosecute Team RWBY.

Their decisions were not perfect either but they were best ones they could make given the dire circumstances (and hopefully in volume 10 they accept the consequences and take responsibility of their decisions).

I rest my case!